Apple has apparently fixed the security issue involving its Apple ID password-reset page, a vulnerability that had made it possible for hackers with a user’s e-mail address and birth date to reset the user’s password.

Apple said yesterday that it was aware of the issue and was preparing a fix. Meanwhile, the company had taken the “iForgot” reset page offline for maintenance. As of this writing, the page is back up, and various media outlets are reporting that they’ve confirmed the fix.

We have an e-mail out to Apple for official confirmation (though the reappearance of the page is certainly a good sign), and we’ll update this post when we hear back.

The security exploit made use of a special URL that got around the need to answer a security question. Apple had added the question step last April.

The exploit didn’t work on the accounts of users who had enabled two-step verification, which Apple introduced Thursday. That system does away with the security question in favor of sending a request for a four-digit PIN code to a cell phone. The user enters the PIN along with the typical password.

However, as reported by The Verge, a number of Apple ID holders were told they’d have to wait three days before they could enable the two-step verification setup. Also, at this point, the two-step system is available only in the U.S., Britain, Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand.

There are more than 500 million active Apple ID accounts, which are used for the company’s various stores and online services, including iCloud.

It’s official: the PlayStation 4 exists and is making its way to a store near you, but what of its rival? According to rumours, Microsoft is also gearing up to launch its next-generation console, the Xbox 720, this year – a rumour that’s been circulating around the web for some time.

Unlike Sony, however, the American firm has made no official announcements and has declined to comment on speculation that it’s working on a new console. But that’s not to say the rumours aren’t true.

In fact, we’ve witnessed some pretty convincing evidence that suggests the console is nearing completion – and will be hitting shelves as soon as Christmas 2013. Here’s everything we’ve learnt so far…

Xbox 720 release date

Speculation about where and when the Xbox 720’s unveiling will take place has been rife, but a string of rumours have narrowed it down to two possibilities. A Bloomberg report last November cited Microsoft sources who claim the console will be unveiled at the annual games expo, E3, in Berlin in June 2013 – where Sony is also expected to whip the covers off the PS4.

However, other reports indicate Microsoft is planning to unveil the next Xbox at an event outside of the hustle and bustle of E3 – something akin to the PS4 launch in February – although there is no concrete evidence as to when this event is likely to take place. Chances are it could be soon as Microsoft wouldn’t want Sony hogging the limelight with the new PlayStation.

Xbox 720 price

A leaked Microsoft document discovered last year mentioned a price point of £190 ($299) for the Xbox 720, which sounds pretty low to us.

A similar price point was also rumoured for the PS4, but we’re guessing both firms will be selling their machines for a much higher sum – although if both consoles hit shelves at the same time, expect some pretty competitive pricing – just not as low as what’s being speculated.

Xbox 720 specs

As with the PS4, the Xbox 720 could use AMD graphics hardware – a rumour that has resurfaced time and time again. Games site VG247 reports that the console will use two GPUs in tandem – a complex system architecture that’s most common in gaming PCs.

However, we’re not convinced that Microsoft will opt for such a system in a console. A simple, single GPU architecture will always be popular with developers, as it would allow them to code games quicker and more efficiently.

In January, VGLeaks published what it claims is the Xbox 720’s full specifications list, below. Although Microsoft hasn’t confirmed its validity, many gaming sites and sources claim it’s the real deal. Highlights include Blu-Ray and Wi-Fi support, 8GB of RAM and an 8 core CPU.

CPU:

– x64 Architecture

8 CPU cores running at 1.6 gigahertz (GHz)

– Each CPU thread has its own 32 KB L1 instruction cache and 32 KB L1 data cache
– Each module of four CPU cores has a 2 MB L2 cache resulting in a total of 4 MB of L2 cache
– Each core has one fully independent hardware thread with no shared execution resources
– Each hardware thread can issue two instructions per clock

Skype

Microsoft bought VoIP provider Skype in 2011 so it’s no wonder many believe the firm will use this technology in its upcoming console. In fact, games site CVG claims the Skype will come pre-installed in the Xbox 720 as a default communications programme, replacing Xbox Live and Messenger service.

This brings us to our next rumour – voice recognition. According to a report in tech website The Verge, Kinect for the Xbox 720 will come equipped with revamped voice recognition technology which can do uber-awesome things such as identifying the number of people in a room based on the number of different voices it picks up. The new Kinect will also purportedly recommend games based on the number of potential players it recognises from voice control.

Like this:

“And like that, the tablet market was flooded,” is what historians of the future will likely say when speaking in reference to late 2012. Well, they’ll probably throw in some presidential-election and end-of-the-world coverage too, but the point is, there are a lot of Windows-based tablet/hybrid/convertible PCs launching over the next few months and nearly every PC vendor and its mama are getting in on the action.

The Lenovo IdeaTab Yoga 11 is coming in December, sporting the Windows RT operating system, a Tegra 3 processor, and a built-in keyboard that can be folded out of the way when need be. Will it be worth its $799? Well, that will depend on its quality and your needs. Read on if that piques your interest.

Design
The Yoga 11 sports an 11.6-inch screen with a resolution of 1,366×768 pixels. As someone who’s become kind of a pixels-per-inch snob of late, those specs don’t exactly grip me with excitement.

Like all Windows RT tablets, the Yoga 11 cannot run Legacy Windows software, only apps designed for the new Metro interface.

So why the name “Yoga”? I thought you’d never ask. Lenovo built the tablet with a keyboard permanently connected to the base of its body. While this allows it to function as a laptop does, you can also fold the keyboard under the tablet screen, either laying it flush against the back, or propping the device up in a kind of downward dog position. Hence the yoga reference.

Lenovo is clearly hoping the Yoga 11 straddles the line between laptop and tablet, but in our brief hands-on at Lenovo’s launch even, we came away feeling like it leaned more heavily towards laptop, especially compared with the feather-light Lynx. As “the world’s slimmest multimode PC” (according to Lenovo), the Yoga 11 measures 0.6 inches thick, but it feels thicker, perhaps because of the keys. And at 2.8 pounds the Yoga 11 is quite light for a laptop, but pretty heavy for a tablet.

Features

The 360-degree hinge operated exactly as expected though, smoothly going from laptop to tablet mode, as well as various points in between. And despite a preview build of Windows RT, the Yoga 11’s touchscreen was generally responsive. It also flipped the image on screen appropriately as we moved the display around.

The tablet houses a quad-core Tegra 3 for brains, features 2GB of DDR3 RAM, and will sport up to 64GB of storage. While Tegra 3 is a solid choice, it’s already becoming a bit long in the tooth as newer CPUs from Qualcomm and Texas Instruments begin to surpass it in performance.

There’s also a 720p-capable camera sitting in the top middle bezel, and the Yoga 11 has HDMI and USB 2.0 ports. Lenovo claims 13 hours of battery life for the tablet.

First thoughts
I can’t say I’m excited about the Yoga 11. A Tegra 3 tablet running Windows RT and priced at $799 definitely wouldn’t be my first choice, based purely on specs. The keyboard attachment is appreciated, but whether it justifies this tablet’s very high price remains to be seen. Look for the tablet in December and check back with CNET soon for some hands-on details about the Yoga 11.